Detector



Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

entree stares VICTOR D. RENWICK, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

DETECTOR.-

Application filed October 16, 1924. Serial No. 743,990.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in detectors of the type particularly adapted for use in rectifying electric current oscillations, such as those received by wireless apparatus.

in the the use of detectors of the so-called crystal or galena type, it is the common practice to employ a cat whisker for formlng an electric connection with the sensi tive spot or spots of the crystal or galena.

This cat whisker is usually manually adjustable to enable the sensitive spots to be located and to vary the degree of pressure at which the cat whisker engages such spots. It often times a very tedious proposition to locate a good sensitive spot and after one is located, the pressure of engagement is very often much too great or too little and the best results are not obtained.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a detector of theabove mentioned type which will establish connections between a cat whisker and a plurality of sensitive spots simultaneously, and which will automatically provide the proper degree of pressure for such connections, when proper ly mounted upon a support.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for manually establishing connections between the cat whisker and new or undamaged sensitive spots without losing the proper degree of pressure above referred to.

A. still further ob'ect of the invention is to employ gravitational forces for establishing the above referred to proper degree of pressure for the connections with the sensitive spots of a crystal or galena.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, the figure shows a central vertical sectional view of the de tector embodying this invention and further shows the same properly mounted upon a support, such as a panel forming part of a wireless receiving set.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 designates a supporting element which is preferab y formed 01"; insula i g materi such as a panel in a wireless receiving set. This support 5 is provided with a pair of vertically alined apertures 6 thru which the binding screws 7 project. These binding screws are employed for securing the resilient bracket mountings 8 to the support 5v and arefor connecting conductors, such as electric wires, to said bracket mountings 8, the conductors being connected to the binding screws 7 by means of the outer nuts 9, the inner nuts 10 being employed for drawing the heads of the binding screws 7 against the apertured inner end portions of the bracket mountings 8 for securing them to the support 5. j

The detector proper includes a piece of material 11 which is sensitive to oscillating currents and is adapted to rectify the same, the said piece of material 11 being properly termed a crystal or galena. This crystal or galena 11 is suitably molded in a soft metal container 12 adapted to be mounted within the crystal supporting cup 13. This cup is provided with a laterally projecting annular flange 14: at its upper open end and an integral depending nipple 15, of substantially conical formation, this nipple 15 being arranged to form part of the bottom wall of the cuplg. A bell-shaped casing 16 is telescopically connected with the cup 13 and is insulated therefrom by the ring 17. This ring engagesthe annular outwardly projecting flange 14 formed onthe cup 13 and is retained in engagement therewith by the spun-over edge 18 of the bell-shaped casing 16. j

The bell-shaped casing 16 is provided with an aperture 19 in its upper end within which is positioned the combination bearing and connector element 20. This connector 20 is secured to the bellshaped casing 16 by means of the enlarged head portion 21 which-bears against the outer face of the end of the casing 16, and the sleeve 22 shrunk or sweated on the depending cylindrical portion 23 of the element 20.

The element 20 is made use of area connector by providing an annular groove 24 in the enlarged head portion 21, the groove 24 being adapted for receiving the furcations 25 of the upper resilient mounting bracket 8. The furoations 26 of the-lower mounting bracket 8 are adapted for receiv-- ing therebetween the depending conical. ipple 15 carried by the crystalor galena.

surface 11 of the same.

supporting cup 13. It will now be seen that aquick detachable connection ispro videdbetween the mounting brackets 8 and the detector structure, the detector structure being connected to the brackets by first passing the groove portion 24 of the enlarged head 21 between the furcations:25 after which the detector structure is fulcrumed upon the uppermounting bracket 8 for forcing the depending conical nipple 15 between 'the furcations 26 ofthe lower mountingbracket "8. p y

washer 27, formed"ofcork, rubber, or

other suitable insulating material, is ad-' 'he'sive'ly secured to theup'per face of the soft metalcontainer l2 and is-positioned with its centrally located opening 28 arranged in aline'm'ent with the crystal or galena 11 for exposing =a-sui'table amount of the sensitive It will be seen that the lowerfl'anged end 22 of the sleeve 22an'd the: lower end of the cylindrical portion 230f the elementQQObea-r against the outer face of the insulating washer 27. Th

bore of the cylindricalportion 23 and the opening 23 in the-{washer 27 form a chamber communicating with the sensitive surface 11 ofth crystal or galena 11. This chamber 29 is employed for confiningor housing loose-granules of conductive material 30 so that the same will gravitate toward the sensitive surface 11 of the'crystal or galena 11 and willzengafge the-same.

Journall'ed in 'the bearing portion or bore of theelement 2O is'a hollow shaft 31 havinga laterally projecting annular flange 32 formed at'its lower end, as illustrated.

'llhe upper end of thisshaft 30 is reduced and squarechas at 33 for receiving the metallic bushing34 moldedin the operating knob" 35, the said knob 35 with its bushing 34 bein'gdeta'chably secured to the reduced squared portion 33 by the nut 36. For the purpose of- Inaint'ainingrthe annular flange portion 32 ofthe shaft/31 in engagement with the upper wall of the granular confining chamber 29', a spring 37 is interposed betweentl-re upper surface of the enlarged he'adQl' andthe inner end of the bushing 34.

- Extending axially thru the bore of the hollow shaft 31 and: suitably secured to the a i suppo rt or panel when 1 its axis i extends verticallysorgmbstantially vertically. This is clueto theizfacttthatl desire 'toirm'ake use of: gravitational :forces for: establishing the proper degree of pressure engagement between the granules 30 and the sensitive surface 11 of the crystal or galena 11. By properly selecting the granules 30, as to their size, and causing them to gravitate toward the sensitive surface 11", I can establish the proper degree of pressure connection between the cat whisker 39 and the sensitive spots of the said crystal or galena 11. The mass of loose granules of conductive material 30 may be agitated or stirred for causing the same to seek new sensitive spots onthe surface ll byrotatingthe shaft 31 within the bearing 21, the :said shaft being rotated by means-0f the'operating knob 35.

The circuit thru this detector may be described as extending from the upper binding" screw 7 thru its respective bracket mounting 8 to the element 20 from which is passes thru the shaft 31 to the cat whisker-39. The lower ends of the cat whisker 39 are properly connected' to a plurality of sensitive spots on the surface 11 by the-inass ofgraniile conductiv material-30. The crystal or galena 11 is connected-to'its supporting cup 13 by means of its soft metal container 12 while the cup 13, thru its depending conical nipple 15 is connected to the lower mountingbracket 8 which in turn is connected to the lower binding screw 7. e

g It is to be understood that the form of this invent-ion herewith shown and described is'to be taken: as a preferred example of the same,iand thatvarious changes in'the shape, size,--and-arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing fromv the spirit of the "invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. I,

HHaving thus described the invention, I claims? 1 l'. 'A -detector of the type described comprising an oscillating current rectifying mass, a :graul'ar conductor contacting with said mass, andcuri'ent conducting means ongaging thegraular conductor and movable inlrespect tothe rectifying-mass to -agitate the granuleswith respect to said mass.

1-2. A" detector of; the typedescribed comprising apiece of material sensitiveto oscillating currentsand tadapte'd to rectify them, azfinely' divided :conductor gravitating toward and-contacting with saidpiece' of material, and "a seco'nd conductor projecting into said finely divided conductor and movable for agitating the same.

3. Adetectonof-the type described comprising .a piece of .material sensitive to oscillatingcurrents and adapted to rectify them, a finely divided conductorcontact'mg with said, piece ofmaterial-"asecond conductor projecting into said .finely divided conductor 7 and movable ..:in. respect to the piece of material to stir thefparticles10f the:

divided conductonand means for the activity of the finely divided conductor to the said piece of sensitive material and the second conductor.

4. A detector of the type described comprising a cup, a piece of material sensitive to oscillating currents and adapted to rectify them positioned in said cup, a casing enclosing said cup, a finely divided conductor gravitating toward and contacting with said piece of material, and a second conductor carried by and movable in respect to the casing and entering said finely divided conductor for agitating the latter.

5. A detector of the type described comprising a cup, a piece of material sensitive to oscillating currents and adapted to rectify them positioned in said cup, a casing enclosing said cup, a finely divided conductor gravitating toward and contacting with said piece of material, and a second conductor projecting into said finely divided conductor and movable for agitating the same. 7

6. A detector of the type described comprising a cup formed of conductive material, a piece of material sensitive to oscillating currents and adapted to rectify them positioned in said cup, a casing formed of conductive material telescopically associated with said cup and insulated therefrom, a conductor movably carried by the casing and depending toward said piece of material, a finely divided conductor gravitating toward said piece of material and conductivel connectin the first mentioned con-- ductor thereto, and means for moving the conductor carried by the casing for agitating the finely divided conductor.

7. A detector of the type described comprising a cup formed of conductive ma terial, a piece of material sensitive to oscillating currents and adapted to rectify them positioned in said cup, a casing formed of conductive material telescopically associated with said cup and insulated therefrom, a conductor movably carried by the casing and depending toward said piece of material, a finely divided conductor gravitating toward said piece of material and conductively connecting the first mentioned conductor thereto, means for moving the conductor carried by the casing for agitating the finely divided conductor, and

means for confining the activity of the finely divided conductorto said piece of sensitive material and the conductor carried by the casing.

8. A detector of the type described comprising a cup, a piece of material sensitive to oscillating currents and adapted to rectify them positioned in said cup, a bell-shaped casing positioned over said cup and insulated therefrom, a cylinder having an open lower end mounted within said casing and axially alined with the piece of sensitive material, an insulating washer concentric with said cylinder interposed between the lower open end of the latter and the piece of sensitive material, a mass of finely divided conductive material positioned Within the bore of the cylinder and the washer and gravitating against said piece of sensitive material, and a wire conductor proj ecting into the finely divided material.

9. In a device of the type described, the combination with a support, a pair of later ally alined terminals passingitherethrough, and an angle, resilient bracket mounted on the support by each terminal, said brackets including parallel portions projecting from said support and having their ends bifurcarted, of a detector unit quickly detachably connected to said bracket projections, said un t including a casing, a connector element projecting from one end and having an annular groove formed therein for receiving the furcations of one bracket, and a connector element projecting from the remaining end of the casing, said last mentioned connector element being of conical formation and adapted to have its smaller end portion received between the furcations of the remaining bracket.

in testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

VICTOR D. RENWICK. 

